In the share this week:
3 lbs sweet potatoes
1 bunch red russian kale
specialty pepper mix (banana, poblano and jalapeno peppers)
1 bunch french breakfast radishes
1 bag salad mix
1 bunch green onions
Thoughts from Farmer Anna:
The shell of the pack shed is now nearly complete. We are waiting on a bit of trim, gutters, and the overhead door to be installed. After that we need to think about what kind of plumbing we need in the building and how we'll get that installed, and then get a concrete floor poured. Then we'll be ready to outfit the pack shed with sinks, tables, and storage shelves. We'll be running electric up the hill so we can build another cooler for the new space. Whew, it does feel a bit overwhelming thinking over everything that needs to be done to make this a functional space for next year, but at least we are headed into winter which gives us more time to research and plan for these tasks.
I think I promised to tell you more about our plans for winter growing this week. We now have four unheated high tunnels (or hoophouses) that we are filling up with greens for the winter. Our mix of winter greens includes kale, spinach, swiss chard, salad mix, green onions, cilantro, and asian greens. We have grown kale and spinach reliably over the winter these past few years, and we are excited to see if we can get a few other crops to make it through the cold weather protected with extra row cover. Initially we were considering offering winter CSA shares over the 20/21 winter season, but recently the Ft. Thomas Farmers' Market has decided to host a winter market. Their first session will run until December 9th and the second session will begin in early March at the latest and possibly in February. We will be sending out weekly emails whenever we have crops to harvest so that you'll have the opportunity to place a pre-order to pick up at market or at the farm. It's possible we may add another pick up location or offer some limited delivery if folks are interested.
The first sweet potatoes of the season are coming in shares this week. We do not wash the potatoes after harvesting because they are supposed to keep better if you don't mess with them too much. If you'll be storing yours for awhile, they do best in a cool dark place. We routinely have sweet potatoes store until the next summer if yours last that long :) Maria has a couple of recipes using these tasty tubers below. We'll be giving another good amount of these again next week, and then a bit more in the last two shares of the season. More radishes again this week, but this planting has been so wonderful that we've had an abundance of nice roots coming out of it. I roasted a mix of radishes, turnips, and carrots as a side dish with our lunch today. My ten year old really loves the roasted radishes!
Recipes from Maria:
White Bean and Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
4 baked sweet potatoes
Walnut Pesto
2 cups tightly packed herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro, and/or mint (can also use carrot tops, baby spinach, arugula, etc.)
1/2 cup (56) walnuts
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small lemon, zested, then juiced
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (can substitute up to half with water)
White Beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme)
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 medium lemon
Optional toppings
Chopped radishes
Green onions
Chopped tomatoes
Diced avocado
Tahini
Instructions
Make the Walnut Pesto. Place all of the ingredients except the olive oil and water to a food processor. Blend until a paste starts to come together. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil, scraping down the sides as you go, until you have a thick, relatively smooth consistency. Taste for salt and acidity, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
Make the White Beans. Heat a large 12-inch skillet with the 2 teaspoons olive oil, and ensure the entire pan is coated with the oil (I use a paper towel to evenly distribute the oil). Add the rinsed and dried beans in small handfuls and spread them out in a single layer. Let the beans cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Then use a flat spatula to flip the beans and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the beans are browned and blistered. Add the thyme, sesame seeds, salt, lemon juice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Assemble the Sweet Potatoes: Stuff each baked sweet potato with the 2 tablespoons of pesto and 1/4 of the White Beans. If desired, add additional toppings to each potato, and drizzle with a bit of tahini.
Southwest Scramble Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
4 baked sweet potatoes
5-Minute Salsa
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red, orange or yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
Kosher or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Egg Scramble
Chopped poblano and banana pepper
6-8 Eggs scrambled
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder and cumin
Kosher or sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Optional Toppings
Chopped radishes
Green onions
sour cream
Diced avocado
Instructions
Saute the peppers before adding the eggs to scramble, while cooking prepare the 5-Minute Salsa. Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the salsa is too acidic, add a bit more olive oil.
Assemble the Sweet Potatoes: Divide the Egg Scramble, 5-Minute Salsa, and black beans evenly and stuff into each baked baked sweet potato. If desired, top with additional toppings.